This project is designed to gain new insight into mechanisms operative in the control of gene expression in eukaryotic organisms (specifically higher plants) and to assess the role changing patterns of RNA synthesis in hormonal regulation (specifically auxin). The work is focusing 1) on the purification and characterization of RNA polymerases of soybean, primarily polymerase I, and 2) on the phosphorylation of chromatin proteins, emphasising protein kinase studies, in response to auxin. The nature of the change in RNA polymerase I (more molecules of enzyme, different subunit make-up and/or modified subunits) which leads to the 3 to 5 fold increase in activity in response to auxin and which leads to a 70 percent drop to a new steady state level of activity when tissue slices are incubated in culture is of major importance. The role of changing patterns of chromatin proteins (new proteins, modification, etc.) in auxin regulated RNA synthesis is being studied.